


Hope and Healing

by aslytherspuff



Series: The Wish Fulfillment Universe [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Infertility, referenced Draco/Charlie, referenced Severus Snape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22269259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aslytherspuff/pseuds/aslytherspuff
Summary: Draco's POVDECEMBER 1998During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Hermione was hit with a curse that had long-term consequences.Two years later, Draco has something that he hopes will change that.**Part of the Wish Fulfillment Universe**Can be read and understood separately, but you really should read Wish Fulfillment because it's awesome.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Theodore Nott
Series: The Wish Fulfillment Universe [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587355
Comments: 5
Kudos: 147





	Hope and Healing

**Author's Note:**

> This is something that I felt needed to be written as it ties up a loose thread from the original work.

**WISH FULFILLMENT CHAPTER SIX**

**HOGWARTS INFIRMARY**

**JUNE 1996**

“ _What happened to you?” Ron asked, partly out of curiosity, and partly to change the subject. Unfortunately, he had miscalculated, because Hermione began to sob in earnest._

_“D-Doloh – Dolohov cursed me,” she whimpered, “right here.” She indicated a long, diagonal line from her collarbone all the way to her hip. “Madame Pomfrey says there's,” Hermione paused and took a deep, shaky breath. “She says there's internal damage.”_

_Ron felt his chest constrict painfully. “What kind of damage?”_

_Hermione lowered her head into her hands, her long, matted curls falling onto the sheets of the hospital bed. “Most likely,” she said, in an oddly detached voice, “I'll never be able to have children of my own.”_

_It was in that moment that Ron felt his heart break. A distinct, painful splintering feeling cracked through his chest, and he forgot how to breathe. “We can never tell Harry these things,” he whispered earnestly. “Harry can never know.”_

_Hermione lifted her head to reveal wet, puffy eyes, and met his gaze with steely determination. “Harry can never know.”_

**THE BURROW**

**DECEMBER 1998**

**EIGHT MONTHS AFTER THE BATTLE**

Draco clutched the leather journal closer to his chest as he approached the woman he'd seen tortured on his drawing room floor. Dating one of his closest friends or not, she had no reason to ever forgive him. No reason to trust him or to hear him out in any way. But he owed it to his godfather, to Theo, and to himself to try.

Theo eyed him suspiciously as he approached, his arm tightening around his girlfriend's waist. He leaned closer to whisper something in her ear, and wide, brown eyes met his. She didn't look scared, but this was Granger. She was never scared. Not even when his insane aunt carved an expletive into her skin or tortured her to the brink of insanity. She was a far stronger person than he, no matter what Charlie might believe, and he respected that.

“Granger,” he said, as he came to a stop in front of her. The conversations around them stopped abruptly, everyone turning to stare at them. She and Theo had turned up several hours ago and, until now, Charlie and Draco had stayed well away from her – from all three members of the 'Golden Trio', actually. They'd socialised primarily with Aunt Andromeda and his mother, though Bill and Fleur had gone out of their way to hold polite conversation about a handful of neutral topics.

Granger's eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Malfoy,” she replied, coolly, “I see that Romania has done you some good.”

He had to concede that she was, as usual, correct in her assessment. Both Romania and Charlie had turned him into a far better person that he had been on the path to becoming when they had last been at school together. Granger looked better, too. More comfortable, more sure of herself. Her desperate righteousness had settled into a kind of quiet confidence that suited her.

“Thank you. You look well,” he returned. “Could I trouble you for a word?”

He knew getting her away from Theo would be a challenge, but he didn't know how much his friend knew about the issue at hand, and he certainly didn't wish to be the one to spill her secrets. The letters left to him seemed to indicate that only two people, besides Severus and himself, knew what had happened as a result of Dolohov's curse, and Draco had no desire to change that against her wishes.

As he'd thought, Theo stepped forwards slightly. “We could spare a few minutes,” he said, with a sideways glance at his girlfriend.

Draco shook his head. “I'm sorry, Theo, but I really do need to speak with Granger alone.”

This time, it was Granger who spoke up. “Not a chance, Malfoy.” Her tone was polite but steely; she clearly had no intention of backing down. The whole room was listening to their exchange, no matter how much some of them were pretending to do otherwise, and he was at a loss as to how he could communicate the nature of this discussion without betraying her confidence. Perhaps a white lie would be enough to convince her of his need to speak with her privately.

“Granger, this concerns the last Will and Testament of my godfather, and it was his wish that I speak to you privately on this matter. However, if you feel uncomfortable with me, I do understand. Perhaps Weasley could accompany us?”

Granger's eyes flickered over to where Harry and Ron were cooing over little Teddy Lupin, who was currently sporting ginger hair and freckles. Ron hadn't left Harry's side all day, so if he still refused to do so, Draco would be shit out of luck.

“Ron,” Granger said, and the Weasel's head shot up, still displaying a sappy look that, just months ago, Draco would have bullied him for. The urge was still there, but he was smart enough now to ignore it. “Malfoy wants a word with us.”

He looked reluctant to leave Harry's side, but Harry just waved him away, still fully absorbed in making the tiny Metamorphmagus giggle over the brightly-coloured fairies he was conjuring with his wand.

The pair followed him out into the garden, but he wasn't under any illusions that they had done so because they trusted him. Harry's violent defence of Severus after the war had turned him into a tragic war hero – something Draco was certain he'd have hated – and Hermione was one of his staunchest supporters. At least her respect was genuine, rather than a sudden about-face several years too late. No matter what he'd thought about Granger at school, he had always been incredibly respectful of Severus – of most teachers – and had never joined in on the name-calling and bullying of his godfather that was led by several members of Gryffindor House. Perhaps that was why he had done what he did, though Draco strongly suspected it was out of guilt that he could not have done the same for Narcissa.

Once they were a safe distance from the house, Granger whipped out her wand and muttered a spell that had Draco's jaw hitting the floor. That was one of his godfather's spells.

“How do you know that?” he snapped, and the bushy-haired woman flinched before drawing herself up formidably.

“Not that it's any of your business,” she replied, primly, “but I can assure you that Professor Snape was fully aware that I both knew and used the spell long before his death.”

Draco bit back the automatic urge to put the woman in her place. _No one speaks to a Malfoy like that_ , came a voice that sounded suspiciously like his father. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that he was not that person any more. He would no longer allow himself to be self-important, rude, or entitled; to be any of those things would be letting Charlie down.

Instead of replying, he simply nodded.

“What do you want, Malfoy?” Weasley demanded. Unlike Granger, he had no qualms about being both rude and direct, but Draco refused to rise to it, no matter how difficult it was.

He pulled the worn, leather journal from his robes. “This was one of my godfather's Potions journals. He left me several, with letters to accompany each, instructing me on what I was to do with each Potion. Most of them have been patented in his name posthumously, and are being used to heal patients in St. Mungo's. A few have proven useful in my work at the sanctuary. But some have been created with a specific individual in mind, and he has charged me with ensuring that the potion is brewed and distributed appropriately.”

Both Granger and Weasley looked confused and suspicious.

“And you think there's one about Hermione, do you?” Weasley challenged him, reminding him that even though he was no longer responsible for her, he was still very much protective of her. Hopefully, what Severus had left within this book would go a long way towards building bridges for all of them.

Draco nodded. “I know there's one for Granger, Weasley. My godfather spent nearly two years perfecting it.”

Granger's mouth dropped open, abruptly shattering the careful facade she had been holding on to. “He did _what_?” she gasped, hand flying to her chest. It almost looked like there were tears trying to form in her eyes. “Why?”

Draco flipped to the correct page and held it out for her to read. The ingredients list would mean nothing to Weasley, who couldn't tell Belladonna from Boomslang skin, but Granger was bright enough to at least form a rudimentary idea.

“It heals... cursed wounds?” she asked, tentatively.

He felt his lips curl slightly in a smile he was unable to fully suppress. It had taken her less than ten seconds.

“Correct. My godfather felt himself responsible for the curse you were hit with in the Department of Mysteries,” he explained, watching as Granger unconsciously reached to rub where he was sure the line cursed scar tissue rested beneath her awful Weasley jumper. “While the curse was not entirely of his own design, he was at least somewhat instrumental in its creation. You're lucky you survived, Granger. That curse is intended to disintegrate soft tissue. If Dolohov hadn't been such an incompetent bastard, you would not be alive.”

Weasley's jaw jumped warningly at that, and Draco realised it was perhaps wise not to be quite so blunt about Granger's likely demise. “As it is, my godfather learned from Madame Pomfrey that some significant damage was done. Damage that will likely affect your future plans?” It was considered quite crude in Pureblood circles to use words such as 'infertile', or to directly imply that a witch was somehow incapable of bearing children. Draco didn't know if the same was true in the Muggle world, but it seemed best not to chance offending either her or Weasley at this stage.

Granger nodded. “Madame Pomfrey said I would be unable to have children,” she whispered, almost to herself. Though Draco knew Ron was already aware of this, he still saw him flinch.

“I didn't wish to discuss this in front of Theo,” Draco explained, choosing to ignore her admission as he felt that discretion may be the better part of valour in this instance. “I didn't know if you had told him.”

Granger stared down at the damp, cold ground. “I haven't,” she admitted.

He'd thought as much. Children were essential to Purebloods, especially those who were Heads of their House and who had no other family to carry on the name. Theo would never think less of his girlfriend for her predicament, but the wider Wizarding community certainly would, and Granger seemed like the type to take that to heart.

“I can't promise you a miracle, Granger,” he said, suddenly feeling sorry for her. His mother had suffered deeply for many years because she had been unable to have any children after him, and he would do anything to stop someone else suffering the same. “But we both know that Severus was as close to a miracle as you can get when it came to potions. It's your choice, but I really do think you should tell Theo. He won't judge you. And when you've made a decision, let me know. I can brew this for you.”

Tears brimmed over and started to slide down Granger's cheeks as she nodded.

“It won't be easy,” he cautioned. “Each dose will take two months to brew. It must be consumed within twenty-four hours of being completed, and you will have to take at least ten doses before there will be a chance that you've healed sufficiently. It may take more than that; Severus was not able to fully complete his testing of the potion before his death.”

“But it's hope. That's more than I ever had before, Draco. Thank you.”

Draco started at the sound of his first name falling so easily from her lips. “You're welcome, _Hermione_.” It felt odd, almost uncomfortable, to use her name after years of calling her Granger, but it was... nice. It felt like a new start, the possibility of, if not forgiveness, then at least a kind of acceptance.

His godfather would be proud of him. He hoped, somewhere, Severus was around to see it.


End file.
